The Magic of Wunderlich [Includes Bonus DVD]

George Frederick Handel (Composer), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), Albert Lortzing (Composer), Georges Bizet (Composer), Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Composer), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Giacomo Puccini (Composer), Emmerich Kalman (Composer), Robert Stolz (Composer), Mischa Spoliansky (Composer), Hans May (Composer), Nicholas Brodszky (Composer), Agustin Lara (Composer), Franz Joseph Haydn (Composer), Christoph Willibald Gluck (Composer), Vincenzo Bellini (Composer), Aime Maillart (Composer), Conradin Kreutzer (Composer), Richard [1] Strauss (Composer), Rafael Kubelik (Conductor) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Conductor: Rafael Kubelik
• Composer: George Frederick Handel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Albert Lortzing, Georges Bizet, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, et al.
• Audio CD (October 11, 2005)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 3
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B000AC5B20
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #404,930 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Serse (Xerxes), opera, HWV 40: Aria. Finstre Furien, ihr Geister der Hölle

2. Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio), opera, K. 384: Aria. Venn der Freude Tränen fließen

3. Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), opera, K. 620: Aria. Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön

4. Zar und Zimmermann, opera: Lebe wohl, mein flandrisch Mädchen

5. Les Pêcheurs de perles, opera in 3 acts: Recitative and Duet. Nadir, du stehst wirklich vor mir - Und in des Tempels Grund

6. Eugene Onegin, opera, Op. 24: Aria. Wohin seid ihr entschwunden

7. Rigoletto, opera: Scena and Duet. Ich denk ihn lieber mir von meinem Stande - Liebe ist Seligkeit, ist Licht und Lebe

8. La Traviata, opera: Duet. O, lass uns fliehen aus diesen Mauern

9. Tosca, opera: Aria. Und es blitzten die Stern

10. Gräfin Mariza (Countess Maritza), operetta: Wenn es Abend wird - Grüß mir mein Wien

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Die Schöpfung (The Creation), oratorio, H. 21/2: Aria and Chorus. Nun schwanden vor dem heiligen Strahle / Verzweiflung, Wut und Schr

2. Die Schöpfung (The Creation), oratorio, H. 21/2: Aria. Mit Würd' und Hoheit angetan

3. Don Giovanni, opera, K. 527: Recitative and Duet. Ma qual mai s'offre, oh Dei - Fuggi crudele

4. Don Giovanni, opera, K. 527: Recitative and Aria. Come mai creder deggio - Dalla sua pace

5. Don Giovanni, opera, K. 527: Recitative and Aria. Amici miei - Il mio tesoro intanto

6. Iphigénie en Tauride, opera in 4 acts, Wq. 46: Aria. Nur einen Wunsch, nur ein Verlangen

7. Iphigénie en Tauride, opera in 4 acts, Wq. 46: Recitative and duet. O unverhofftes Glück - Das höre ich von dir, von meinem Freunde?

8. La sonnambula, opera: Duet. Hier nimm den Ring der Treue

9. Les Dragons de Villars, opera in 3 acts: Romance. O schweige still, o lasse dich erbitten

10. Das Nachtlager von Granada, opera: Trio. Doch nun zu dir - Trenne nicht das Band der Liebe

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MAGIC is a good word to describe Fritz Wunderlich, November 7, 2005

By 

Alan Majeska "Alan Majeska" (Bad Axe, MI, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Magic of Wunderlich [Includes Bonus DVD] (Audio CD)

Magic is a good word to describe Fritz Wunderlich (1930-1966), and if you aren't already familiar with his work, you'll see why when you experience this CD.

Many of the tracks are not new to CDs: I'd say 50% of them are also in the "Art of Fritz Wunderlich" set (DG, 7 CDs), including Handel, Mozart, Bellini, and other opera arias. There are 3 tracks from "Don Giovanni" which I had not encountered elsewhere, and a scene from Richard Strauss's "Der Rosenkavalier" + 5 Strauss Lieder (with orchestra) not previously released in recent years.

Wunderlich was never less than the very best, and here is no exception. The bonus DVD has almost 30 minutes of scenes of Wunderlich (Count Almaviva) in Rossini's "Barber of Seville", sung in German with Hermann Prey (Figaro) and Erika Koth (Rosina) from a 1959 black and white TV production, in very good mono sound; and two scenes from Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin", also sung in German, and with a young Brigitte Fassbaender (a little more hiss but very good, full, rich mono sound). The Rossini is available from English sources, and hopefully will be available in the US soon.

Like conductor Karl Bohm (1894-1981), I'm going to try to get as much Fritz Wunderlich material as I can find, CD or DVD, as is practical (and even when it isn't!).

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great and Varied Collection, December 18, 2005

By 

Timothy Kearney (Haverhill, MA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Magic of Wunderlich [Includes Bonus DVD] (Audio CD)

Fritz Wunderlich is a name that is familiar to opera buffs, at least those who enjoy the great singers of the past, but his name is not as familiar with the general public. It probably would have been, had it not been for a tragic and fluke accident that claimed his life. For those who are familiar with this great tenor, he's a beloved musician that makes listeners wonder what could have been.

Wunderlich's voice is one that can be light and airy at times, yet it can also have a dramatic intensity. This two disc set includes a variety of pieces that display Wunderlich's wide range and great vocal talent. His excerpts from Mozart are perhaps his strongest. So often the tenor roles in Mozart operas are cast with performers who are agile and can reach the higher notes, but their voices are somewhat weak. Wunderlich shows just how beautiful these arias can be. The same holds true for his arias from EUGENE ONEGIN and the pieces from well known operettas. His "Au Fond De Temple Saint" performed with Hermann Prey (a dream team pairing if there ever was one) is close to the Bjorling/Merrill rendition. We see his versatility in the excerpt from Haydn's CREATION and the live performance of "Di Rigori Armato" from DER ROSENKAVALIER is a treat and allows the listener to compare his live and studio recordings. The bonus DVD has a few slight flaws, but we see, at least in the scenes from THE BARBER OF SEVILLE that he not only has a wonderful voice but a good stage presence as well.

Most of the tracks are performed in German, even the Bellini, Bizet, and Verdi tracks, as was the case in many of the recordings of famous German singers. This may detract at first, especially of we expect to hear gorgeous French singing and it comes out, well German sounding. Still, it's a wonderful set with great variety and shows us what we missed in this tenor whose career had just begun.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful!, January 18, 2007

By 

R. W. Lyon "Phillyhoo" (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Magic of Wunderlich [Includes Bonus DVD] (Audio CD)

What a beautful voice and such an artist. I've always loved Wunderlich's voice and this album was such a delightful surprise to happen across. The Pearl Fishers' duet with Herman Prey is spectacular--it would be even better than Bjoerling/Merrill if it were in the original French!